Young people exposed to animal cruelty horror

16s & 17s at highest risk of vile web vids desensitising them

- MATT ROPER

YOUNG people are at risk of being desensitised to animal cruelty as "terrifyingly high" numbers are now exposed to vile images online, the RSPCA claims.

The charity found more than two-fifths of people aged 16 and 17 and almost a third of 18 to 24s have seen avoidable animal suffering online, compared with a fifth of all people. And reports to its emergency line about animal cruelty on social media are on course to hit a four-year high since the start of 2020, there have been 2,000 reports logged.